


It's not over yet

by Ta_Ma



Category: Olympics RPF, Swimming RPF
Genre: 200 IM, Angst, M/M, Michael is more affected than Ryan, Rio 2016, confort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-08-08 08:13:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7750129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ta_Ma/pseuds/Ta_Ma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After waking up at 4a.m. in my country to watch the 200IM final, after Ryan not being on the podium, I needed to write something about it. This is it, Michael and Ryan after the race.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's not over yet

**Author's Note:**

> This work is unbeta'd, I've just finished writing it. I'm not a native English speaker, so if you spot any mistakes and wish to let me know, I'll fix them.
> 
> \- It was really late so I didn't stay up to watch the medals ceremony or the 100 Butterfly semis, so I've just used my imagination and a few things I've read on tumblr. 
> 
> \- It was sad enough without them, so Michael's fiancée and Boomer out of the story. I'm sorry.

When he touches the wall, Michael knows that Ryan is not second, not even third. They say that when he’s swimming he is only focused on what’s ahead of him, but when he swims with Ryan, he always has in mind where Lochte is. And now he doesn’t know how to react, because on one side, he’s happy because he has done it. He’s won his 22th Olympic gold medal, but on the other side, he’s about to cry, because when he pictured beating Ryan again, he thought he would be the only one to do so. When he looks at Ryan, fourth place is not that bad, he is not sure whose face is sadder. Because he can tell that Ryan is angry at himself for not doing better, but he can also tell that Ryan is happy for him and he doesn't think that he can love Ry more that at this moment. Ryan's eyes are so blue right now that he has to look away so he doesn't kiss him stupid right here in front of everyone.

 

After that, for some minutes, everything is a blur. There are a lot of people congratulating him and he can't quite get an idea of what he's exactly done. But he has this feeling bugging him, telling him that he should be comforting Ryan, but Ryan is standing a few feet away, looking sad and amazed at the same time. And Michael doesn't know what to do, so he lets himself be carried away by everything. And it isn't until a few minutes later that he can catch Ryan alone, and he hugs him and tries to tell him how he feels without words. But Ryan touches his face and gets away a little so he can look at his eyes, and says “you've done it, babe” and smiles. Michael wants to cry, but Ryan seems so fine with everything, like he just knew that things weren’t going to be always the same, that he feels a bit dumb and just tries to smile back.

 

It's later, on the podium that Michael can't stand it anymore, because every time he has pictured this moment in his mind during the last few hours, Ryan was beside him and now he isn't. He had everything planned, he thought that in case he beat Ryan, he would make him step with him on the highest step of the podium for the anthem, but now he can't and he feels kind of stupid for taking it for granted. And it is even later, a bit too much late at night for Olympics swimmers to be ending their races, that he goes to their room and finds Ryan there, seating on his bed and playing with his phone.

 

“Ry…” he says, and he feels absolutely drained. But Ryan just smiles at him and says

“Hi, MP”.

 

And when he sits beside Ryan and hugs him, Michael suddenly realizes that he might need this more than Ryan does. But they just rest on against the other, feeling their breath and heartbeats. It is Ryan who kisses him first, slowly and tender, and when he doesn’t kiss back, the older one backs away a bit.

 

“What’s wrong, MP? You look miserable…” asks softly.

 

“I wanted you to be there, on the podium, with me…” he says, voice small, and suddenly feels like he’s 15 again, and he’s shy and alone, but Ryan is there to make him smile.

 

“I wanted to be there too, but I couldn’t”

 

“But you are so much a better swimmer than them” says Michael, and he knows that he is pouting and being totally unfair.

 

“And I’m much older than them too…”

 

“You’re just a year older than me”

 

“Yeah, well… You’re the GOAT” Ryan smile grows “And you’re not a teenager either…” And Michael laughs, and kisses Ryan just to shut him up.

 

Then they just lie on the bed, and kiss and embrace each other. And Michael wonders why he feels so affected by this when just four years ago he decided to retire. And realizes that when he did that, in London, he knew that he had the option to go back, that Ryan would be there, waiting for him to hop back in the pool and swim. But now it seems like everything is over, for good. And then, after coming to this conclusion, Ryan shifts by his side, and after kissing his cheek, whispers. “It’s not over, you know. I might not be swimming big competitions anymore, but I’m not going anywhere.” And they fall asleep, tangled long limbs in a small bed and all.


End file.
